How to Format SDXC to FAT32 on Windows 11/10/8/7

Updated by

Tracy King 

Written by

Sherly 

Updated on April 22, 2024

In this article, we'll explore how to format an SDXC card to FAT32 on Windows using both built-in Windows tools and a third-party application.

Yes, you can format an SDXC card to FAT32 on a Windows PC. Here's a step-by-step guide: 1. **Connect the SDXC Card**: Insert the SDXC card into an SD card reader, and then connect the reader to your Windows PC. 2. **Open File Explorer**: Click on the "File Explorer" icon typically located on the taskbar or press the Windows key + E on your keyboard. 3. **Locate the SDXC Card**: In the left pane of File Explorer, under "This PC" or "Devices with Removable Storage," find the SDXC card and note its drive letter. 4. **Format the SDXC Card**: Right-click on the SDXC card and select "Format" from the context menu. 5. **Choose Format Options**: - In the Format window, under "File system," select "FAT32." - Make sure "Quick Format" is checked. - If prompted about data loss, confirm that you want to proceed, as formatting will erase all data on the card. 6. **Start Formatting**: Click on the "Start" button to begin the formatting process. Wait for it to complete. 7. **Verify Formatting**: Once the formatting is finished, the status should say "Format Complete." You can now use the formatted SDXC card in devices that support FAT32. Keep in mind that FAT32 has a 4GB file size limit, so if you need to store larger files, consider using exFAT or NTFS instead, which may require additional software to be compatible with some devices.

Yes, you can format an SDXC card to FAT32 on a Windows PC. Windows provides tools to help format an SDXC SD card to FAT32, such as File Explorer, Diskpart commands, and Disk Management.

However, the built-in Windows tools have limitations because they can't handle SDXC cards larger than 32GB correctly. If you use the tools provided by Windows to format an SD card to FAT32, you might encounter the following issues:

So, to ensure success, it is recommended to use a professional and free third-party tool, such as the Partition Master tool.

Format SDXC to FAT32 using Tools - Partition Master [32/64/128 GB or Larger]

Formatting an SDXC card larger than 32 GB to FAT32 can be done using the Partition Master tool. The tools Partition Master Free overcomes the limitation that Windows only formats SD cards to FAT32 when they are smaller than 32GB. Additionally, this tool can format RAW or write-protected SD cards. To format an SDXC card to FAT32 with this utility, follow these steps: 1. Download the tools Partition Master Free software. 2. Install and launch the application on your computer. 3. Connect the SDXC card to your computer using a card reader. 4. In the Partition Master interface, locate the SDXC card and right-click on it. 5. Select "Format" from the context menu. 6. In the Format Partition window, choose "FAT32" as the file system. 7. Confirm the action by clicking "OK" or "Apply." 8. The software will then format the SDXC card to FAT32. Wait for the process to complete. Remember to backup any important data before formatting, as this process will erase all existing data on the card.

Step 1. Find your SD card and right-click the partition you wish to format, then select "Format".

Step 2. Assign a new partition label, file system (NTFS/FAT32/EXT2/EXT3/EXT4/exFAT), and cluster size to the selected partition, then click "OK".

Step 3. Click "Yes" on the pop-up window to continue.

Step 4. Click the "Execute 1 Task(s)" button on the toolbar, then click "Apply" to start formatting your SD card.

Aside from working to format a 128 GB SD card to FAT32, here's a list of the main features of Partition Master that you might also appreciate:

1. Resizing partitions: This allows users to resize their partitions without data loss. Users can also expand or shrink partition sizes, including the system partition.
2. Partition recovery: It helps recover partitions that have been deleted or damaged due to virus attacks, system crashes, or other incidents.
3. Disk cloning: Users can move data to a new hard drive or upgrade to a larger one by using the tool to copy an entire hard drive or a specific partition.
4. Merging and splitting partitions: Users can divide a partition into multiple ones or merge two or more partitions into one, based on their requirements.
5. Disk and partition conversion: The software supports converting between NTFS and FAT32 file systems as well as between dynamic and basic disks.
6. Disk and partition optimization: Users can optimize their disks and partitions for improved performance and speed.
7. Support for various file systems: Numerous file system types are supported, such as NTFS, FAT32, FAT16, EXT2, EXT3, and others.

The Partition Master tool can handle all kinds of disk-related tasks, including formatting disks and partitions to FAT32. When you need to format your SDXC card to FAT32 but are uncertain about the correct procedure, this software comes in handy.

Format SDXC to FAT32 using Built-in Tools in Windows [For 32GB and Smaller]

You can start using the built-in Windows services to format SD card to FAT32 on Windows 10/8/7.

Keep in mind that formatting will erase everything from the SDXC card, so it's recommended to clone the SDXC card to another disk as a data backup. If your device has storage capacity greater than 32GB, Windows does not offer the option to choose FAT32. Therefore, you'll need to use a third-party utility such as tools Partition Master tool to utilize this file system with a large SD card capacity.

Here are three guidelines on how to format SDXC to FAT32 using the built-in Windows tools:

• Format SDXC to FAT32 using File Explorer
• Format SDXC to FAT32 via Disk Management
• Format SDXC to FAT32 using Diskpart

[1] Format SDXC to FAT32 using File Explorer

Here's how you can format an SDXC card to FAT32 using Windows File Explorer:

< strong > Step 1. < /strong> Insert an SDXC card into your PC, and launch File Explorer.

Step 2. Right-click on the SDXC SD card, and select the "Format" option from the context menu.

Step 3. A new window will appear, and you can click on the drop-down menu under "File System," select "FAT32," check the "Quick Format" box, and hit the "Start" button. The formatting process will commence.

[2] Format SDXC to FAT32 using Disk Management

Here's how you format SDXC to FAT32 using Disk Management:

< strong >Step 1. < /strong > Click "This PC" or "My Computer," choose "Manage," and select Disk Management. You'll see the basic information about your SDXC card.

Step 2. Right-click on the SDXC SD card and select Format from the context menu.

Step 3. In the Format pop-up window, click the drop-down menu next to the File system and choose the FAT 32 option.

?Note: Make sure the Perform a quick format check box is selected, and click OK to start formatting.

3] Format SDXC to FAT32 using Diskpart

By executing a few commands, diskpart can also format SDXC cards into FAT32. Here is how:

Step 1. Open Windows Terminal with administrator privileges, and then enter each of the commands provided below, pressing Enter after each one:

Translate the following commands into English: 1. `list disk` 2. `select disk n` (Replace `n` with the disk number of the SD card) 3. `list volume` 4. `select volume 3` (Replace `3` with the volume number of the SD card) 5. `format fs=fat32 quick`

注意: Replace "1" in the image with the correct disk and partition number. Make sure to enter the correct value to avoid formatting the wrong disk.

Step 2. Wait until the formatting process is complete.

Extended reading: Can't format SDXC as FAT32? What to do?

While the above three methods should work for formatting SD cards to the FAT32 file system in Windows 10/8/7 in most cases, you may encounter situations where you cannot format SD cards:

Here are the translations for the provided languages: 1. When the SDXC card is write-protected, formatted as RAW, infected with viruses, or contains bad sectors, you will encounter a format error message: "Windows cannot complete the format." 2. Or, if the SDXC card is not being detected, the above method will fail to format it.

The SD card might not be detected if the card reader or USB port is damaged, the SD card is write-protected, or the card is physically damaged.

In both cases, you can try the following steps to fix it:

1. Try using a different USB port.
2. Test the SDXC card on another system or card reader.
3. Disable SD write protection.
4. Update the driver.

First, you can check if the SD card is damaged, write-protected, or infected with a virus. Afterwards, try using a different card reader or another computer, or attempt the process again.

Read Also:

Conclusion

This post outlines four methods to format SDXC cards to FAT32 on Windows 10/8/7. It is highly recommended to use the tool Partition Master if you need to format a large SDXC card, such as a 64GB or 128GB card, to the FAT32 file system. If the SDXC card's capacity is less than 32 GB, you can simply utilize the three built-in Windows tools to format it to FAT32. Share these methods to inform more users.

"Format SDXC to FAT32 FAQs" translates to "Frequently Asked Questions about Formatting SDXC to FAT32 in English."

If you have more questions about how to format an SDXC card to FAT32, refer to the frequently asked questions and their answers below:

1. How to format SDXC to FAT32 on Mac?

Before formatting your SD card, make sure to back it up since this process will erase all data. Next, we'll proceed with how to format a microSD card on a Mac using Disk Utility:

Here are the translations of the given instructions into English:
1. Step 1. Use a card reader to connect your SD card to your Mac device. Proceed to the Finder.
2. Step 2. Launch Applications, then select Utilities, followed by Disk Utility.
3. Step 3. From the side panel in Disk Utility, select the SD card you wish to format. Click on Erase.
4. Step 4. Assign a name to your SD card.
5. Step 5. Choose the file system format.

If your SD card is 64 GB or larger, choose the exFAT file system. For SD cards with a capacity of 32 GB or less, select the FAT32 file type and click Erase. Then, wait for the formatting process to finish; you'll receive a notification when it's done.

2. How to format a 64/ 128/ 512 GB SDXC SD card to FAT32 on Windows 10?

You can easily format your 128 GB, 256 GB, or even 512 GB SD card to FAT 32 by downloading the best FAT32 formatting program, the Partition Master tool.

To convert your SDXC card to FAT32, begin by inserting an SD card into your computer.

Here are the translations for the given language segments into English:
• Step 1. Open the Partition Master tool, right-click on the partition you wish to format, and select the Format option from the context menu.
• Step 2. Choose the FAT32 file system, enter a partition label in the new dialog box, and after adjusting the cluster size as per your requirements, click OK.
• Step 3. Confirm the action by clicking Yes on the warning message that appears.
• Step 4. Preview the changes by clicking the Execute 1 Task(s) button in the top left corner, and then click Apply to commence formatting the partition to FAT32.

3. Why is the "Format SD card as FAT32" option not available?

The "Format SD card as FAT32" option is unavailable likely because your SD card has a substantial amount of storage space, which is a common issue. When a flash drive has a capacity exceeding 32 GB, formatting it to FAT32 in Windows can be difficult. This is due to the longevity of the FAT32 file system.